Pakistan (MNN) – Pakistan is layered in ancient history.

The land that is now Pakistan was once part of The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest civilizations in global history. Pakistan has a special connection to Christianity, too; the apostle Thomas is thought to have brought Christianity to the area and helped lay the foundations of the global Church.

To this day, there are some 2.6 million Christians in Pakistan. That’s a strong Church presence, but Pakistan is a mix of many cultures, languages, and religions. Tailoring discipleship material and leadership techniques to a country with so much diverse history is no small task.

Pakistan needs Christian leadership. That’s where the MENA Leadership Center hopes to step in. According to the Center’s Fadi Sharaiha, the Center is heading to Pakistan “to do a vision trip, to get to know the partners on the ground, the churches and the needs that they have. By the end of this year, we are hoping to have a program [in place].”

The goal is to have a comprehensive network of Christian leaders by 2025. Those leaders can disciple one another into a brighter Church in Pakistan.

Admittedly, that takes funding – and right now, the Center doesn’t have that funding. Still, they feel that God is calling to reap the harvest God has sown in Pakistan for millennia.

“That’s why we did attend some kind of roundtable discussions around Pakistan with the Pakistani leaders last year,” Sharaiha says. “We felt that the Holy Spirit was urging us to do something in Pakistan.”

It’s not just that Pakistan is ripe with Christian history. Tragically, the modern situation in Pakistan also demands the Church’s attention.

“I’ve heard that there is something called the brick factory in Pakistan. The brick factory is, in [other words], slavery. More than half of the people working this brick factory are Christians.”

Poverty, slavery, and persecution are all very real obstacles to the Church in Pakistan. As The MENA Leadership Center seeks to bring light into these dark corners via culturally informed and scripturally sound leaders.

“Pray for the Church of Pakistan. Pray for wisdom and discernment while choosing the right partners on the ground in Pakistan, while working with the leaders, and while identifying the learning needs that need to happen in Pakistan.”

If you want to support MENA Leadership Center’s efforts in Pakistan, you can do so right here.

“I really hope and pray that whatever we do is going to be for the glory of God in and for the church in Pakistan. The church needs this. Christians need this and Pakistan needs this.”

 

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.